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New Terror Law Controversy:STATES DEBATE IB CHIEF’s PROPOSAL, by Insaf, 29 November 2006 Print E-mail

Round The States

New Delhi, 29 November 2006

New Terror Law Controversy

STATES DEBATE IB CHIEF’s PROPOSAL

By Insaf

Various State Governments and their security agencies are eagerly debating the controversy sparked off by Intelligence Bureau Chief ESL Narasimhan at the Conference of Directors General of Police in New Delhi last week.  Narasimhan had pitched for a special law to tackle the growing terrorism in the country on the ground that the existing legal framework was not adequate to deal with the new-age terrorists. The IB Chief had made the demand in the presence of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh at the Conference. The PM did not react to the suggestion at that time but responded three days later at a seminar on “Law, Terrorism and Development.” There was no need for a new law, he said, and added that the authorities should take recourse to “stringent measures” under existing laws to tackle the scourge and, among other things, “cut off” the illegal flow of money to terrorists through money laundering and organized crime.

The State Police Chiefs and several retired DGPs and security experts Insaf has spoken to on the issue are fully with the IB Chief’s observation on the threat posed to the country by new-age and other forms of terrorism.  Narasimhan had observed that “having large financial and material resources at their disposal, terrorist groups are able to use modern communication system and state-of-the-art technology to pursue their agenda”… Most security agencies and the Police chiefs in the States have now begun to increasingly feel that they do not have adequate wherewithal to tackle the terrorists who have become more sophisticated, better networked and highly motivated in carrying out their diabolical designs. Of greater concern is the threat to internal security, their linkage with organized crime, drug trafficking, gun-running and money laundering, as reflected in the debates in the Rajya Sabha and the Lok Sabha.

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ULFA Steps Up Violence

The United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) is spreading its tentacles by the day. Taking advantage of the ceasefire between August-September last, the organization regrouped its forces, recruited Bangladeshi migrants, got a large number of its cadres trained in Pak-occupied Kashmir (PoK) and managed to equip itself with modern weaponry. It struck four bomb blasts in Assam since the November 5 twin blasts that killed 14 persons. The latest on November 22 was in the high-security zone of Guwahati, killing three persons and injuring more than a dozen. Alarmingly, the group is focusing its attacks on the Hindi-speaking people from Bihar, UP and Rajasthan settled in Assam. They have now extended their activities to northern Bengal with the assistance of local insurgent groups. Their first target was a blast in the Haldibari passenger train, first of its kind in West Bengal.

*                             *                                               *                                        *

Impact Of SC Order Against Mayawati

The Supreme Court’s ruling that the prosecution of the BSP Chief and former UP Chief Minister, Mayawati in the Rs.175-crore Taj Heritage Corridor scam be reopened has affected the ongoing process of social and political realignments prior to the crucial Assembly elections in the State. The immediate impact is expected to be felt in the relationship which the Congress has been slowly building with Mayawati’s BSP.  Both parties are vehemently opposed to Mulayam Singh’s Samajwadi Party (SP) and his governance. But the move is unlikely to succeed now.  The BJP too has rejected any post-poll tie-up with the BSP in the event of a hung Assembly. Mayawati’s efforts to woo upper caste votes may also not materialize since the CBI will be framing fresh charges against her. 

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AICC Directive To Punjab Leaders

With the Assembly elections in Punjab barely three months away, the Central leadership of the ruling Congress has directed the State PCC to ensure unity, so vital for retaining power. The AICC General Secretary Janardhan Dwivedi has rapped former Lok Sabha member Jagmeet Singh Brar, a known critic of Chief Minister Amarinder Singh, for openly speaking against the State leadership.  Brar has been specifically told to refrain from going public with his criticism and to work closely with other State leaders for the upcoming poll.  The Chief Minister has also been asked to stamp out factionalism in the State unit. Following a similar AICC advice to the Punjab leaders few months ago, there was a brief lull in the wrangling. But Brar is at it again publicly against his bete noire.

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Militancy Takes New Turn In J&K

Militancy in Jammu and Kashmir is hopefully taking a new turn. For the first time since it reared its ugly head more than a decade ago, as many as 20 militants from different outfits have surrendered and laid down arms in front of the GOC of an Army Division.  Most of them had crossed over to PoK for arms training between 1993 and 2002.  The Centre and the State Government are watching the encouraging trend with interest, against the backdrop of continuing violence in the State.  The militants are, however, continuing their attacks on security forces and Government buildings. On Tuesday, Dr. Shameena Badroo, wife of former Hizbul Chief and an Army major were critically injured in two gun battles in Chanpora and Bijbehara respectively.  Three days earlier, a gun fight took place in Neldora village in south Kashmir in which four Army personnel and one militant were killed.

*                   *                                               *                                        *

Bonanza For Godhra Victims

The UPA Government at the Centre has finalized a relief package for the 2002 Gujarat riot victims.  It will be a one-time compensation on the lines of the relief the Centre awarded to the 1984 Sikh riot victims.  What is more, the compensation will not only cover the casualties but also those who are staying in semi-permanent camps.  The package provides that the next of kin of a deceased would get Rs.7 lakh, minus the compensation paid so far. The move will come as a relief for several Muslim families which have received hardly any assistance from the Gujarat Government, despite suffering loss of their property and that of near and dear ones. The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has identified 5,307 displaced families which have not been settled so far.

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AIDS Virus Spreads To 20 States

The dreaded HIV/AIDS virus has created an alarming situation. It has now spread to as many as 163 districts in 20 States. The highest number of districts is in Andhra Pradesh (21 of the 25 districts), Karnataka (24 of 27), Maharashtra (30 of 36). The new “entrants” in the list of AIDS-affected districts are New Delhi, eight districts in Bihar, five in UP, five in Madhya Pradesh, three in Punjab including Chandigarh, two in Rajasthan and one in Haryana.  Other States affected by the virus are Sikkim, Tripura, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Meghalaya, J&K, Jharkhand and Andaman Nicobar Island. In view of the speed with which the virus is spreading in the country, the National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO) has programmed that each of the 611 districts affected by the disease will have a link worker for implementing the control programme at the district level.

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Pulling Out Hand Rickshaws From Kolkata

Kolkata will soon be missing what is loosely described as the city’s “heritage” road transport, the hand-pulled rickshaw. Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee wants to see them off the roads as early as possible.  He has got the present winter session of the State Assembly extended by four days to get a Bill passed for withdrawal of these rickshaws from Kolkata.  The session, scheduled to adjourn on November 30, has been extended to December 4. The Government had actually introduced the Bill during the Monsoon session in July last.  But it could not be passed following resistance from the Opposition.  The Congress had initially opposed it.  But it will now support the move as the Chief Minister has assured a rehabilitation package for all the licensed rickshaw pullers.---INFA

 (Copyright, India News and Feature Alliance)

 

 

Desperate Moves In U.P.:MULAYAM MAY PREPONE ASSEMBLY POLL, by Insaf,23 November 2006 Print E-mail

Round The States

New Delhi, 23 November 2006

Desperate Moves In U.P.

MULAYAM MAY PREPONE ASSEMBLY POLL

By Insaf

All political eyes are now on Uttar Pradesh and its Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav. Even though the term of the present State Assembly ends only in May next, new desperate moves are on for the crucial poll. In an attempt to cut his losses, Mulayam Singh is said to be actively considering dissolution of the Assembly for an early poll, possibly in February. The move is prompted by several factors. More than anything else, his Government is increasingly under attack by his main rivals, the BSP, BJP and the Congress, following the ruling Samajwadi Party’s dismal  performance in the recent civic polls. The CM also feels unnerved by the Congress President, Sonia Gandhi’s recent statement that free and fair elections are not  possible in U.P. under Mulayam Singh’s Government.

Adding to Mulayam Singh’s concern is Governor T.V. Rajeshwar’s report to the Centre on poll violence and rigging by the Government machinery in the recent local body elections.  This has created in the minds of the Samajwadi Party leaders an apprehension that the UPA Government at the Centre is perhaps preparing to clamp President’s rule on the State.  However, a section in the ruling party rubbishes such a possibility and wants the Assembly to complete its full term.  This would give Mulayam Singh enough time to draw lessons from the civic poll and consolidate his Muslim and Christian support.  He has already decided to move a resolution in the Assembly calling on New Delhi to bring the dalit Muslims and Christians under the ambit of reservations. The CM has felt encouraged to do so by the Sachar Committee report on the plight of Muslims.

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Bonanza To Punjab Farmer

The Congress Government in Punjab, led by Amarinder Singh, has blessed the State’s farmers with a bonanza in the run-up to the Assembly polls. A new land acquisition policy that provides big relief to them has been finalized.  It gives more rights to the farmers and bars official acquisition of land on “whimsical” grounds.  Rehabilitation of farmers whose land is acquired by the Government for any “public purpose” has been made mandatory. Importantly, compensation for the land has to be at the market price.  Guidelines have also been laid down on what constitutes “public purpose”. No forcible acquisition of land will be allowed to urban development agencies or improvement trusts. All requests for acquisition of land for developmental projects will have to be made at the State level through the State Land Acquisition Board.  Any intention to acquire land will have to be announced through a notification spelling out the public purpose.

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W. Bengal Congress Remains Divided

The West Bengal Congress continues to suffer acutely from what has facilitated the Left Front to remain in power in the State for 27 long years: divided leadership and weakened cadres. The party is divided once more over the selection of the PCC President. While Information and Broadcasting Minister P.R. Dasmunsi has thrown in his hat for the coveted position, in addition to his assignment at the Centre, as many as ten MLAs and 12 district chiefs of the party have visited Delhi and tried to convince Sonia Gandhi of the need to have a “full time” Pradesh Chief. They told her candidly that “unless you have a chief totally committed to State politics, the Congress has no hope in West Bengal.”  They have pitched for former PCC Chief Somen Mitra who, they claimed, had a record of good electoral performance during his earlier tenure between 1992 and 1998.

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Transforming N-E Into Exports Gateway

A move is on to transform the north-eastern region of the country into an exports gateway to the world. Union Minister for Development of North-East Region (DONER), Mani Shankar Aiyer announced this at a two-day meet of the North-Eastern Council (NEC) in New Delhi last week. He disclosed a slew of proposals on the anvil in this regard. These include the development of international access corridors to Bhutan, Myanmar and Bangladesh, access to the proposed Asian Highway and strengthening and expansion of Land Customs Stations that function as authorized trade routes.  Proposals have also been made on high priority basis for improving air connectivity within the region, as also with other South Asian countries.   Commodities with high export potential from the region will be identified and policies reoriented to make the north-east region truly an exports gateway.

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Crime Control In Nitish’s Bihar

Derided as the Columbia of the East not so long ago because of kidnapping crimes, Bihar is now turning “a new leaf.”  Chief Minister Nitish Kumar made this claim on Friday, November 24 as he completed one year in office.  He has attributed this improvement in the State’s law and order situation within one year to proactive judiciary, initiatives taken by the State police and non-interference by the political leadership.  Criminals used to be easily let off the hook for various reasons. But, as the CM has stressed, that is not the case any more. He has claimed that speedy convictions have become the order of the day and there have been cases in the recent past when criminals have been convicted within two or three days. It is officially stated that in less than one year 4,730 criminals were convicted.

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Azad’s Formula To Raise Funds

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad has found a formula to raise money for the State exchequer: sell the illegally occupied Government land to the people at a concession. It is estimated that about 2.5 lakh acres of Government land is under illegal occupation for decades.  At the current market price this land costs about Rs.25,000 crore---an amount more than the annual budget of the State for the past ten years.  The State Cabinet decided last week that those who would buy the land and pay its cost within three months will be entitled to 30 per cent discount. Those who pay within six months will get 15 per cent off and those who do it in one year will get 10 per cent concession.  Azad hopes to sell the entire illegally occupied land within one year and help his J&K Government pocket a major windfall.

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Himachal Ground Water Act

Himachal Pradesh is the first State in the country to legislate the use and regulation of ground water.  The State Government, led by Virbhadra Singh, has passed the Ground Water Act and rules have been framed for its implementation from early next year.  Under the rules, the State Government will set up a Ground Water Authority (GWA) to monitor and control the use of depleting ground water. It will also notify critical areas where no withdrawals will be permitted or restrictions will be imposed on existing users. Also, all contractors and drilling agencies engaged in the job will have to get registered with the GWA which will give or cancel permission to draw ground water. The falling water table in Hamirpur, Kangra, Bilaspur and Shimla districts is causing increasing concern to the State Government.

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Raje Walks The Ramp

Vasundhara Raje, Rajasthan’s vivacious Chief Minister, has earned another first. Incredibly enough, she walked the ramp at a fashion show in Jaipur the other day to showcase the international fashion designer Bibi Russel’s khadi collections.  Her mission? Popularise khadi in the State and stop the slow but sure decline in khadi production in the State over the last few years.  Rajasthan produced khadi worth Rs. 40 crore through one lakh weavers in 1996-97. But during 2005-06, khadi production slumped to about Rs.20 crore and the number of weavers associated with the cottage industry came down to about 60,000. Simultaneously,. she has got the Khadi and Gramodyog Board to draw up a plan to improve the quality of the fabric and boost its sales.---INFA

 (Copyright, India News and Feature Alliance)

Political Scenario In U.P.:CIVIC POLL REFORMS NEEDED, by Insaf,15 November 2006 Print E-mail

Round The States

New Delhi, 15 November 2006

Political Scenario In U.P.

CIVIC POLL REFORMS NEEDED

By Insaf

The recent civic polls in U.P. have attracted greater political attention than such exercises normally do at the national level.  Held as these were in the run-up to the crucial Assembly elections early next year, the results and voting trends were significant for all political parties and so also accusation of widespread rigging.  These left the Samajwadi Party Government of Mulayam Singh vulnerable to an opposition clamour for a Bihar-type multi-phased Assembly election to avoid a repeat of violence and rigging.  Even the Governor, T.V. Rajeshwar, sent a report to the Union Home Ministry, castigating the role of the Government for the poll violence and the way the election schedules were worked out.  The report even led the opposition parties to demand that the Assembly poll be held under Central rule.  Union Minister of State for Home Jaiswal publicly hinted at such a possibility.

These developments clearly call for the need for reforms in the conduct of local body elections in the States, especially when there is increasing movement towards decentralization of governance. The elections for the local bodies are presently conducted by the State Governments which have its own Election Commissioners and officers at the local level. Now that the local elections are being fought on party basis and much importance attaches to them for wielding power at the grassroots, they too need to be conducted by the Election Commission to ensure a free and fair poll and avoid a repeat of what came to pass recently in U.P.  Importantly, successive Chief Election Commissioners have advocated strengthening the Election Commission both at the Centre and in the States and providing it the wherewithal to conduct free and fair polls at all levels. However, these suggestions have not yet received the attention they deserve in the interest of a truly representative democracy.

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States Oppose Police Reforms

Most States have expressed difficulty in complying with the Supreme Court order on Police reforms before December 31.  The apex Court had in its judgment on September 22 last directed the Centre and the State Governments to implement police reforms based on recommendations of several panels, especially the National Police Commission. The Court had suggested the Constitution of a National Security Commission at the Centre and a similar body in the States, a mechanism to weed out political interference in the appointment of DGPs and heads of para-military organizations, a fixed tenure for the DGPs and senior officers, separation of investigations from the police wing involved in the maintenance of law and order and setting up of Police Establishment Boards and Police Complaints Authorities.

At a meeting convened by the Union Home Secretary in New Delhi on Tuesday, the Chief Secretaries and DGPs from the States agreed with the Centre to push for the police reforms as directed by the Supreme Court. But most of them put forward their problems in meeting the Court’s deadline of 31 December for various reasons. Generally, the officers from the States told the Centre that the reforms could not be undertaken because of shortage of personnel in their police forces and the wide-ranging duties they were required to perform on the law and order front.  The real reason for their opposition to reforms, however, stems from the politicians.  They do not want to let go their influence, indeed de facto control, over the police force especially at the local level.

*                       *                                   *                                               *

Amarinder’s Vikas Yatra In Punjab

It is back-to-the-people time for the Punjab politicians in the run-up to the Assembly polls about three months away now. Leading the Congress campaign, Chief Minister Amarinder Singh undertook a three-day “Vikas Yatra” (some call it “Road Shows)” across the State over the week-end along with his official paraphernalia.  He managed to reach out to a large number of people, even in the Akali bastion of Malwa region.  He mingled with the people, heard their grievances against his administration and in some cases dictated orders for on-the-spot settlement of their demands, including sanction of power connections to the farmers. Of great interest was the manner in which the erstwhile Maharaja mingled with the people, ate his lunch sitting atop a sand dune, conversing with bare-bodied farmers and administering polio drops to the children on Sunday last.  The idea was not only to propagate the “strides” Punjab has made under his Government but translate the feel good factor into votes.

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Karunakaran’s DIC Merges With NCP

Veteran 88-year-old leader from Kerala, K. Karunakaran is back to active national politics. After an unceremonious exit from the Congress and desertion by the CPM, his one-year-old tearaway outfit, Democratic Indira Congress (DIC) has now finally merged with the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) of Sharad Pawar. The merger terms are that he will be involved in the NCP’s politics at the national level, will back the ruling Left Front in Kerala and be an ally of the UPA at the Centre.  In other words, both the Congress and the CPM will have to live with him. Initially, the CPM, which leads the Left Front Government in Kerala, had opposed the DIC’s merger with the NCP, presently an ally of the ruling Front. Karunakaran has described the merger as a “reunion of parties having the Congress culture and tradition”.

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Terror Continues Unabated In Kashmir

Terrorism by Pakistan-backed militant outfits continues unabated in Kashmir. Barely three days prior to the Foreign Secretary-level talks between India and Pakistan, it struck the Valley on Friday last. A grenade attack on a religious congregation in South Kashmir’s Pulwama district killed at least five people and left about 40 badly injured.  The attack has set a new trend. The militants hire a local youth for a one time action at a price. In this case it was just Rs.1,000 for throwing on the congregation the grenade handed over to him. According to the Pulwama DIG, the attack was aimed at creating panic among the followers of Barailvi school of thought.  Some terror outfits are opposed to this school which encourages shrine worship and teaches secularism. On the same day, another grenade was thrown at a CRPF picket at Hanuman Mandir in Srinagar. Eight people were injured in this attack.

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Goa’s Higher Education Plan

Tiny Goa may soon become an international education centre, if a plan just drawn up by the State Government is faithfully implemented.  The public sector Education Development Corporation for promoting higher education in the State is developing an educational estate at Verna in south Goa. It is in the process of acquiring land for the proposed estate.  The plan is to develop the entire infrastructure, including common facilities at the estate and then to attract reputed national and international higher educational institutions to set up their branches. The Corporation is presently finalizing the entire proposal of infrastructure development to seek Government funds in the coming State budget for 2007-08. The project already has the blessing of Chief Minister Pratapsinh Rane.

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Commonwealth Boon for Haryana

Delhi’s Commonwealth Games-2010 have now become the buzzword in neighbouring Haryana too. The State Government is cashing in on the hospitality boom. It has identified a major chunk of land around the Union Capital Region (NCR) for building budget and star hotels.  It is estimated that a total of abut 400 acres of land may be put on the block. The hotel project is proposed to be handed over to the public-private partnerships.  Seeing the boom in the hospitality business, the State Government has already started auctioning hotel plots in Gurgaon. It has also offered to the Games organizers help for building Games infrastructure in Delhi.  In fact, this plan may ultimately end up with the creation of a “tourism economic zone” close to the Union capital.---INFA

 (Copyright, India News and Feature Alliance)

ULFA Renews Violence:GOGOI TAKES TOUGH STANCE, by Insaf,8 November 2006 Print E-mail

Round The States

New Delhi, 8 November 2006

ULFA Renews Violence

GOGOI TAKES TOUGH STANCE

By Insaf

Renewed violence with greater vigour by the ULFA militants is causing concern to both the Centre and the Congress Government in Assam. After the Centre failed to persuade the separatists to negotiate a peaceful settlement, the militants struck on Sunday last with two bomb blasts in Guwahati, killing 14 people and badly injuring over 50. Most worrying about the attack was their changed strategy. Earlier the militants were targeting mainly security forces and vital installations. This time they hit the common, innocent men, women and children, on the pattern of the Pakistan’s ISI-trained jehadi militants in Jammu and Kashmir. In fact, their association with the ISI men operating from across the Bangladesh border has been established beyond doubt.

 
A Central team, headed by Home Secretary Vinod Duggal rushed to Guwahati and found their worst fears confirmed: the rebels had mainly bought time by pretending to hold peace talks with the Centre.  They only wanted to buy time and re-group themselves for their mission to establish a “sovereign Asom”. Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi too is greatly upset and has reason to be so, having made determined efforts over the past five years to get the ULFA leadership to eschew violence and reach a negotiated settlement. Gogoi has gracefully admitted security failure that caused Sunday’s blasts and declared that counter-insurgency operations will be worked out afresh and the ULFA made to realize that violence does not pay.  The Centre has assured Gogoi full support.  Duggal told Insaf on return from Guwahati: “ULFA will now be hit and hit hard.”

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Disturbing Development In Nagaland

Also causing concern to the Centre are reports of the latest scenario in Nagaland, now that the long-drawn talks between the Centre and the National Socialist Council of Nagaland (I-M) have ended in an impasse once again. The NSCN (IM) is already running a de facto “Government of the Peoples’ Republic of Nagalim” (GPRN) from its headquarters near Dimapur. Incredibly enough, the GPRN has well-oiled Finance and Home Departments. It collects “taxes” and its “crime suppression department” maintains law and order. Its directives are followed by the people, many of whom feel that life in the city has become orderly under its dispensation. Casual workers moving into Nagaland now require a resident permit issued by the NSCN (IM).  A fee of Rs.250 is reportedly charged for the permit, a laminated document with a photograph of the holder.  The NSCN (IM) is thus so well-placed that it has adopted an incremental approach in its quest for sovereignty and territoriality.

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BJP’s Come-Back Bid In UP

The much-talked-about civic body elections in UP last week, which were considered as the semi-final in the run-up to the Assembly poll early next year, have given the BJP an unexpected new lease of life. At the same time, it is a wake-up call for Chief Minister Mulayam Singh and his Samajwadi Party, a satisfaction to Mayawati and her BSP and a worrisome outcome to the Congress.  The biggest gainer is the BJP which has regained its hold over the urban areas, as reflected by the Mayoral polls. Written off as having been marginalized, the BJP has retained the corporations of Ghaziabad, Agra, Varanasi, Aligarh and Lucknow and won Gorakhpur, Meerut and Kanpur. The Congress could win only Allahabad, Bareilly and Jhansi. The ruling Samajwadi Party could win only one corporation, Moradabad.  Obviously, the SP has failed to revive its popularity among the Muslims and traders.

Despite all-out efforts by Mulayam Singh to woo the Muslims and traders, the two communities have forsaken the SP and moved to the Congress.  Nevertheless, the SP has retained its hold on the Nagar Panchayats and Nagar Parishads. Of the 191 Nagar Parishad, the SP won 81, BJP 37, Congress 10, RLD of Ajit Singh 3 and Independents 34, 26 of whom were reportedly supported by Mulayam Singh.  Of the 414 Nagar Panchayats, the SP won 185, the BJP 48, Congress 16, RLD 6 and Independents 122. Mayawati’s BSP did not field any candidate on her party ticket, but it has claimed that most of the Independents and other party candidates it supported have won.  The Congress may claim to have improved its overall performance. However, Amethi, Rahul’s Lok Sabha constituency has administered it a rude shock. All its candidates lost.

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BJP Triumph In Madhya Pradesh

The BJP and its Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan have every reason to rejoice over the victory of the party candidates in two byelections in the State---one for the Vidisha Lok Sabha seat and other for the Bada Malhera Assembly constituency.  Both the constituencies are known to be the BJP’s stronghold. However, the byelections posed major challenge for the party, especially for Chief Minister Chouhan, thanks to Uma Bharti, once a popular BJP leader in the region and former Chief Minister. She went all out to oppose the BJP and humble it by putting up candidates of her newly-formed Bharatiya Janashakti Party (BJP) after her expulsion from the BJP. It was a tough BJP versus BJP fight especially for the Bada Malhera Assembly seat. This was first held by Uma Bharti and later by Chauhan.  Both had won with big margins.

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Punjab Poll Jitters

The most difficult and controversial task of selecting the ruling Congress candidates for the upcoming Assembly poll in Punjab has begun.  Chief Minister Amarinder Singh is strongly of the view that the party should not hesitate to drop at least 25 sitting MLAs from the list of its nominees.  This view has reportedly been supported by the AICC.  Both are in agreement that non-performing legislators and those likely to lose should be kept out if the Congress is to retain power. The leadership has already assessed the performance of the sitting MLAs and has come to the conclusion that at least 25 need to be replaced by those who have better wining chances.  There is a general agreement among the State leaders that the Congress faces an uphill task in Punjab where the party won comfortably in the 2002 Assembly poll, bagging 65 of the 117 seats.

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Basu Ticks Off Buddhadeb

The CPM patriarch and former Chief Minister of West Bengal, Jyoti Basu, has finally ticked off his successor, Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee, after lying low about the latter’s  policies and style of functioning.  Last week, he criticized the Chief Minister for keeping the Left Front allies of the ruling coalition in the State out of the loop while striking deals with the Tatas and other business houses.  He cautioned the Chief Minister at a Left Front meeting in Kolkata about the dangers of not keeping the party’s partners informed about its policies. Basu also forced Bhattacharjee to apologise for his recent remarks against some allies. The CM had sarcastically said that some of them were raising doubts over the Tata Motors project only to get media publicity.  Basu advised: “You are the Chief Minister. You should be restrained in your comments.”

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Karnataka’s Rural Development Plan

The Karnataka Government has chalked out a massive Rs.1000-crore special rural development programme for its villages. The programme, “Suvarna Grama” would be launched in one thousand villages, to start with. Each village will be allocated Rs.1 crore for its overall development in the next financial year.  According to the Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Minister, C.M. Udasi, the programme is intended to remove regional imbalance. It will include works such as improving roads, providing drinking water, income-generation schemes for farmers and education and health for children.  Ministers incharge of various districts have been asked to identify the villages where the programme could be implemented within three months. ---INFA

 

(Copyright, India News and Feature Alliance)

ISI Hand Clearly Seen:TERROR PLOT TO TARGET SOUTH INDIA, by Insaf,2 November 2006 Print E-mail

ROUND THE STATES

New Delhi, 2 November 2006

ISI Hand Clearly Seen

TERROR PLOT TO TARGET SOUTH INDIA

By Insaf

 
All the twenty-two border and coastal States of the Union are today on red alert, thanks to the spreading tentacles of the terrorists, sponsored and assisted mainly by Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) and some other foreign-based militant organizations. Only last week, Insaf highlighted the security agencies’ concern about the ISI and how the latter were trying to smuggle their agents into India through the West Coast States and across the Punjab-Rajasthan border. The ISI now seems eager to spread its terrorist activities to the southern States of Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu.  On Friday last week, two Pakistani terrorists were intercepted in Mysore, while they were planning to blow up two main seats of power in Bangalore---Karnataka’s magnificent Vidhan Soudha and its annexe Vikas Soudha. 

On the same day the Kerala Police went into a tizzy when emails threatened assassination of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and President Kalam in case any harm came to Afzal, who has been sentenced to death for the attack on India’s sovereign Parliament.  Importantly, however, the catch in Mysore clearly indicated that terrorists are beginning to turn their attention to the southern States.  Worse, investigating agencies have discovered an ISI-LTTE nexus to target south India. The Pakistani terrorists arrested in Mysore have been found by intelligence agencies to have links with Colombo, from where the ISI is now planning and monitoring subversive activity in South India. Another anti-terrorist agency has found that the ISI-LTTE combine has taken over a place in Bangalore which had so far been used by the narcotics circuit that linked Karachi with Colombo.

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BJP Panics In UP?

Civic polls in UP are receiving from the BJP much greater significance than these have ever received from a national political party in the State or elsewhere in the country. The reason is not far to seek. Secret surveys by the State party have shown that its already poor representation in the State Assembly is likely to be reduced by at least half early next year.  The party has no more than 83 MLAs in the present 403-member Assembly.  But this is likely to get slashed to barely 40.  Some Central BJP leaders  no doubt claim that extra-attention is being paid to the civic polls since the outcome of these elections is bound to have its fallout in the Assembly poll. Yet the fact remains that the party leadership has felt constrained to persuade Atal Behari Vajpayee to campaign for the party’s candidate for the Lucknow Mayor’s election.  Interestingly, Vajpayee has never before campaigned for local polls. Some panic.

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Congress-NCP Battle For Civic Polls

Congress Chief Sonia Gandhi too has done a Vajpayee, so to say. Like the former PM, she has also jumped into the local body poll fray. The Congress President flew into Maharashtra over the week-end virtually to launch the Congress campaign for the local elections in the State in January. What is more, she will be addressing five rallies in different parts of the State as part of the party’s battle for supremacy vis a vis the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) of Sharad Pawar within the coalition Government. The latest struggle between the two parties in the local body elections is bound to have long- term repercussions on the relationship of the two UPA allies who share power at the Centre and also in Maharashtra and Goa.  It could even help the Shiv Sena indirectly to retain the politically-important Mumbai Corporation, which goes to the polls in February.

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Farmers On Centre-Stage In Punjab

Farming and farmers have catapulted to the centre-stage of Punjab’s electoral politics. In the run-up to the Assembly poll early next year, increasing rural indebtedness has become the hottest topic of the poll scene.  Farmers, who constitute about 66 per cent of the State’s population have come into such a sharp focus following a mammoth rally of at least one lakh farmers organised by the Akalis recently at the Matka Chowk, Chandigarh’s Hyde Park, to seek a loan-waiver and protest against the shabby treatment meted out to them by the Centre.  The ruling Congress, too, is going all out to woo the farmers.  The State Government is buying electricity for as high as Rs.8 per unit to ensure that the farmers, who get it free, have enough in the run-up to the polls.  Its Chief Minister, Amarinder Singh, recently announced a hike of Rs.50 per quintal in the Minimum Support Price (MSP) for wheat to the joy of Punjab’s unrivalled farmers.

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Vidarbha Demand Revived

Three leaders of Vidarbha region in Maharashtra have joined hands across party affiliations to revive in a big way the Vidarbha Statehood demand.  They are Nitin Gadkari, Maharashtra BJP President, NCP leader Datta Megha and the Vidarbha Rajya Party (VRP) President Banwari Lal Purohit. The three have joined hands to “seek justice for Vidarbha” amid a growing perception that the Democratic Front Government of Maharashtra continues to ignore the development of the region.  Their main grudge? Mounting suicides by the farmers.  Even as this column is being written, reports have come of suicides by another seven farmers.  The new bonding between the three top leaders of the region may have its fall-out in Maharashtra and hurt the BJP’s relationship with Shiv Sena, which is totally opposed to the creation of a separate State of Vidarbha.

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Modi Supreme In Gujarat BJP

Chief Minister Narendra Modi’s hold over the ruling Gujarat BJP is complete.  His nominee, Purshottam Rupala has become the next president of the State BJP, while the dissident leader, his bete noire and former Chief Minister Keshubhai Patel virtually boycotted the election process. He stayed away when Rupala filed his nomination in the presence of the Central Observer Ram Naik. Patel’s group had earlier complained to the High Command that the Chief Minister had packed all the district and taluka level committees with his supporters and therefore the election process had no relevance.  With the High Command ignoring the dissidents’ plea and Modi’s nominee taking over the State party presidentship, Keshubhai’s political future may slip into wilderness once more.

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Mufti’s Formula For Kashmir

Former Chief Minister and founder of the People’s Democratic Party, Mufti Mohammad Sayeed has now advocated self-rule for Kashmir “which the kingdom enjoyed 400 years ago.” Before leaving for New York as a member of the Indian delegation to the U.N. General Assembly, Mufti told his party workers last week that he would use his visit to strive for the resolution of the Kashmir issue during his stay in the US.  His formula: No imposition of Article 356 of the Constitution of India on the people of Kashmir, an elected Governor who is a State subject, provincial Assemblies for all the three regions as a part of the regional federation, local administrative and police services and economic free trade zone.  Mufti wants the same formula for the Pak-occupied Kashmir (PoK), with facility to the people from both sides for free movement of trade and services. He has sought cooperation of all political parties to adopt his formula to resolve the Kashmir problem.

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Foreigners For Goa Comfort

Believe it or not, some 500 foreigners have made huge real estate investment in Goa.  Most of them are Russians, followed by Germans and Britons. They have taken advantage of India’s liberalized foreign direct investment (FDI) regime and pumped in huge money into the coastal State.  They have cornered huge tracts of land, to build large estates and attract international tourists to what they describe as Goa’s “coastal comfort”.  This development has caught the eye of the National Security Council (NSC), as also the Union Home Ministry and the State Government.  The NSC considers it as a “potential threat to national security via FDI”.   The State Government too has instituted an enquiry into the whole issue. Its finding are eagerly awaited---INFA

 

(Copyright, India News and Feature Alliance)

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